By Tucker Paquette
@tpaquette17
Kayden and Dylan Mingo, brothers and teammates at Long Island Lutheran (NY), are proud to be able to showcase their talents – and continue building their bond – at Hoophall.
Kayden, a 6-foot-2 guard, is ranked as ESPN’S No. 44 recruit in their class of 2025, and he committed to Penn State on Nov. 1. Dylan, meanwhile, is ranked as ESPN’s No. 12 recruit in their class of 2026.
Dylan, standing a few inches taller than his older brother at 6-foot-5, arrived to face Arizona Compass Prep (AZ) on Sunday with a relaxed mindset. He was able to put this plan into action, gaining a feel for the game while aggressively picking his spots when scoring.
“Just letting the game come to me,” Dylan said. “I know I have a bunch of high-playmaking guards around me. So just letting it all get to me and be creative.”
Dylan finished the game with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Kayden tallied seven points, five rebounds and four assists. Long Island Lutheran beat Arizona Compass Prep by a final score of 63-57.
Sunday’s win provided the brothers a larger stage to display their respective skill sets. For Kayden, the opportunity to share the floor with Dylan at one of high school basketball’s biggest showcases is not something he takes for granted.
He also was grateful to play in front of 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony and 2008 NBA champion Eddie House. However, even with an exciting set of circumstances, Kayden and his younger brother still tried to treat Sunday as just another day on the court.
“It’s a blessing to play here as brothers,” Kayden said. “There are a lot of good alumni here. But we just take it like it’s any other game, whether it’s here, whether it’s at home.”
In Dylan’s eyes, the preparation for a moment such as this one is done while practicing and training back in New York. This weekend represents the product of the Mingos’ hard work and commitment to the sport they both love.
“We put in the work at home,” Dylan said. “It’s just a blessing to be able to showcase our skill in front of everybody at Hoophall.”
In particular, Dylan believes facing on-court adversity has strengthened their relationship. Leaning on each other in the tight, pivotal moments of a game has a way of increasing the brothers’ trust in one another.
“Being able to play a bunch of games with my brother, especially close games and tough ones, it just helps our bond on the court and off the court,” Dylan said.
Like any pair of siblings, Kayden and Dylan have their disagreements. Ultimately, though, the teammates believe the chance to play for the same team is a special opportunity, and one that has made their respective rises up the basketball ranks more enjoyable.
“Sometimes we argue and stuff, but it definitely got us closer being able to play with each other, being able to work together,” Kayden said.
(Photo by Patrick Fergus/The Student)